Science and Enterprise

Month: March 2013

  • ARPA-E to Fund Vehicle Metals, Bio Gas Conversion Research

    The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) in the U.S. Department of Energy is making $40 million available for two new research programs involving transportation. Half of the $40 million will go for research to make lighter metals in cars and trucks more feasible, while the remaining $20 million will support biological conversion of…

  • Review: Energy Drinks Pose Hypertension, Heart Rhythm Risks

    A review of recent studies indicates consuming energy drinks with added caffeine can lead to heart rhythm disturbances and higher blood pressure. The team led by University of the Pacific pharmacologist Sachin Shah, presented its findings yesterday at a meeting of the American Heart Association in New Orleans. Shah, with colleagues from David Grant Medical…

  • New International Food Allergy Management Study Underway

    An international study of food allergy is underway, headed by University of Manchester in the U.K., that aims to develop an evidence-based management process for food manufacturers, as well as guidelines for pregnant women, infants, and allergy sufferers. The four-year €9 million ($US 11.6 million) Integrated Approaches to Food Allergen and Allergy Risk Management or…

  • Alternative Quantum Computing Data Storage Process Found

    Physicists at Technical University Munich (Technische Universitaet Muenchen, TUM) in Germany found an alternative method for storing data as quantum bits for quantum computers using carbon nanotubes. The findings of TUM’s Simon Rips and Michael Hartmann appear online today in the journal Physical Review Letters (paid subscription required). Quantum computing is a more powerful method…

  • AstraZeneca Licenses Messenger RNA Therapy Technology

    The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca based in London is licensing genomic technology from Moderna Therapeutics, a biotechnology company in Cambridge, Massachusetts to develop treatments for heart disease, metabolic disorders, and cancer. The five-year deal has potential payout to Moderna of $420 million. Moderna Therapeutics harnesses messenger RNA, nucleic acids related to DNA that leave the cell…

  • Virginia Tech Offering Class for Student Entrepreneurs

    Virginia Tech is offering a course on starting a new business for student teams at its campuses in Blacksburg and Arlington to accelerate the business development process. The Startup Class, says the university, offers a way for graduate or undergraduate students with ideas for a new product or service to take those ideas to the…

  • Tests Show Many Laser Pointers Giving Off Excessive Power

    In tests by researchers at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland, many laser pointers on the market, including most pointers with a green beam, emitted more power than allowed by federal regulations. The team led by Joshua Hadler, NIST’s laser safety officer, reported on the tests today at the International Laser…

  • Investment Fund to Support Canadian Quantum Technologies

    Quantum Valley Investments, a new venture fund in Waterloo, Ontario, plans to invest $100 million to develop and commercialize quantum computing technologies in its region. The fund, started by Blackberry co-founders Michael Lazaridis and Doug Fregin, aims to make stimulate development of Waterloo and vicinity into a Quantum Valley technology hub, similar to Silicon Valley…

  • Retinal Cells Produced Without Animal Matter from Stem Cells

    Biologists at Indiana University and Purdue University in Indianapolis (IUPUI) developed a lab technique to produce human eye cells from stem cells without animal products or proteins, which limits their use in treating diseases. The team led by IUPUI biology professor Jason Meyer published their findings online yesterday in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine…

  • University Developing Wearable Artificial Lung Device

    Biomedical engineers at University of Pittsburgh are developing a portable artificial lung for patients awaiting a transplant, yet still retain their mobility. The project headed by William Federspiel, director of the university’s medical device lab, is funded by a $3.4 million grant from National Institutes of Health. The device will serve as a bridge for…